1. The Davidic Covenant – Part I
2 Sam 7:8-16

2. Background of the Davidic Covenant
The Davidic Covenant takes place some 400 years after the renewal of the Mosaic Covenant in the plains of Moab.
Israel failed to completely drive out the inhabitants of the land, as God had commanded her to.
Joshua warned the people that the foreigners who remained in the land would become “a snare and a trap to you, and a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good land which the LORD your God has given you” (Josh 23:13).

3. Background of the Davidic Covenant
Judges 2:10 states that after Joshua’s generation “there arose another generation after them who did not know the LORD, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel.” This begins a “spiraling down” effect, recorded in the book of Judges.
The people grow tired of this spiral, and ask for a king (1 Sam 8:1-9).

4. Background of the Davidic Covenant
Saul was Israel’s first king. He started well, but was not completely devoted to the Lord, as evidenced by:
His offering of burnt offerings instead of waiting on Samuel (1 Sam 13:8-14).
His failure to execute Agag, King of the Amalekites (1 Sam 15:7-11).
Because of this, God chose David, a man after His own heart, to be Israel’s new king.

5. Background of the Davidic Covenant
Though Saul continually seeks to kill David, David refuses to lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed.
David does eventually assume the throne at age 30 (2 Sam 5:4,5).
After the capture of Jerusalem from the Jebusites and two decisive battles over the Philistines (2 Sam 5:17-25), David brings back the ark to Jerusalem and thus establishes this city as the center of Israelite worship (2 Sam 6).

6. Immediate Context of the Davidic Covenant
Having been given rest by the Lord from all His enemies and having built a house of cedar for himself, David now desires to build a house for the Lord.

7. The Davidic Covenant 2 Sam 7:8-16
Promises to be fulfilled in David’s lifetime:
A Great Name (v. 9)
A Place for the People (v. 10)
Rest (v. 11a)
Promises to be fulfilled after David’s death:
A House (v. 11b)
A “Seed” or Descendant (vv )
A Kingdom (v. 13)

8. Essence of the Davidic Covenant
God promised to give David a great name, and, under David’s leadership as king, to provide a secure place for the nation of Israel to dwell, in accordance with the original promises of the Abrahamic Covenant.
Yahweh also promised that a descendant of David would build the Temple that David himself had wanted to build, and that the Davidic dynasty would endure forever.
David would never lack a man to sit upon God’s throne in Jerusalem (1 Kgs 8:25; 2 Chr 6:16; Jer 33:17).

9. Israel’s Division and Captivity
Northern Kingdom 10 Tribes Capital: Samaria
Zerubbabel, Ezra, Nehemiah
70 Year Captivity
Jeroboam, followed
by 18 bad kings.
722 BC
536 BC
605 BC
1043 BC
538 BC
Decree of Cyrus
931 BC
United King-dom under Saul, David, & Solomon (112 years)
597 BC
Ezekiel &
10,000
586 BC
Jerusalem destroyed
Southern Kingdom Tribes Capital: Jerusalem
605 BC
Daniel & 3
friends
Rehoboam, followed by 11
bad and 8 good kings.

10. Israel’s Division and Captivity
Northern Kingdom 10 Tribes Capital: Samaria
Zerubbabel, Ezra, Nehemiah
70 Year Captivity
Jeroboam, followed
by 18 bad kings.
722 BC
536 BC
605 BC
1043 BC
538 BC
Decree of Cyrus
931 BC
United King-dom under Saul, David, & Solomon (112 years)
597 BC
Ezekiel &
10,000
586 BC
Jerusalem destroyed
Southern Kingdom Tribes Capital: Jerusalem
605 BC
Daniel & 3
friends
Rehoboam, followed by 11
bad and 8 good kings.

11. Thematic Connections Between the Davidic Covenant & Earlier Scripture
Theme Statement
Specific Phrase
2 Sam 7
Earlier References
International
Reputation
“I will make you a great name”
7:9b
Gen 12:2
Land
Inheritance
“I will also appoint a place for my people”
7:10a
Gen 12:7; 15:18; Deut 11:24-25; Josh 1:4-5
Descendants
“I will raise up your seed after you”
7:12b
Gen 13:16; 15:5; 16:10; 17:7-10, 19
Sonship
“I will be a father to him and he will be a son to me”
7:14a
Exod 4:22-23
Intimate
Relationship
“My people”
7:7-8, 10-11
Gen 17:7-8; Deut 4:20

12. Connections Between the Mosaic & Davidic Covenants
The royal psalms (Psalms 2, 18, 20, 21, 45, 72, 89, 101, 110, 144), which focus on the Davidic dynasty, depict the king as one who rules according to the stipulations of the Mosaic Covenant.
In 2 Kings 18-23, it is the stipulations of the Mosaic Covenant that provide the measuring stick for the reigns of Hezekiah, Manasseh, and Josiah.
“The proper role of the Davidic king was to lead his people in keeping Torah” (Grisanti, “The Davidic Covenant,” p. 249).

13. Connections Between the Davidic & New Covenants
The New Covenant brings to full realization the various promises of the preceding covenants.
In contrast to only a remnant knowing the Lord, all of the house of Judah and the house of Israel will know Him (Jer 31:34).
God’s law will be written on the hearts of His people, He will be their God, and they will be His people (Jer 31:33).
Israel will be reunited into one kingdom, led by one perfect Davidic king.
We will look at Jer 31 in detail when we get to the New Covenant

14. Next Week: The Davidic Covenant – Part II
Psalms 2, 72, & 89